


rip it off like a band aid

by helsinkibaby



Category: NCIS
Genre: 16.11 spoilers, Angst, Drunk Dialling, F/M, In Vino Veritas, Romance, post ep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-10-08 23:45:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17395991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: When the phone rings, Ellie almost doesn’t answer it.





	rip it off like a band aid

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by both 16.11’s ending scene and the song “Break Up With Him” by Old Dominion. Which is the latest in my Nick/Ellie playlist!

When her cell phone rang, Ellie gave serious thought to not answering it. 

When she saw Nick’s photograph appearing on the screen, all smiling face and dancing eyes, she gave serious thought to throwing it across the room. 

But she answered it. 

Of course she answered it. They worked together, it could have been about a case. 

Even if they’d just finished one. And even if they never caught two cases so close to each other. 

It could still have been about a case. 

As she clicked the answer button, she wondered when she’d become so au fait with lying to herself. 

“Hello?” Her voice was terse, nothing like her customary greeting. Which was totally understandable, she told herself when guilt began to creep up her gullet. Nick was the one who had taken advantage of her trust in him; he’d had no right to cancel her date. And then to act like he did when she’d confronted him, to say nothing of that weak, watered down apology before she’d left tonight? 

He was lucky she was picking up at all. 

“Hey, Ellie.” Nick’s voice was low and slow. Familiar yet not. As in, not the voice she was used to from him, but one she’d heard before. Just not one she could place right away. 

Especially not when that was all he said. 

After a moment’s pause, during which Ellie gave yet more thought to throwing the phone across the room, she said, “It’s late, Nick.” 

“I know.” The words were accompanied by an almost rueful chuckle. “But I knew you’d pick up.” 

The fact that he was right, that he knew her so well, pissed her off even more. But not as much as the fact that she’d figured out where she’d heard him sound like that before. “Are you drunk?” 

“No.” The denial came quickly, too quickly. She stared down at the phone, lifted an eyebrow and almost at once heard another chuckle from the other end of the line. “OK, so maybe I’ve got a little buzz on.” Ellie shook her head, set her jaw. “I just wanted to talk to you.” 

Ellie lifted both eyebrows at that. “To explain yourself?” Because that would be a first. Nick Torres didn’t explain himself to anyone. 

“No.” She tightened her grip on the phone, opened her mouth to give him what for. Then he continued, “You already know why I sent that text, Ellie. I know you do.” 

And just like that, all her anger dissipated as she felt herself deflating like a tyre with a leaky valve. All the air left her body in a rush as she sighed. “Yeah,” she admitted, the word slipping easily past her lips. “I know.” 

There was another moment of silence as she fancied that she could hear his surprise through the phone. Not for long though; buzzed or not, Nick recovered quickly. “The thing is? There are times when I look at you... moments where you look at me... and it doesn’t feel like it’s a one way street, you know?” 

She did know and she closed her eyes because that was the whole problem. 

Nick wasn’t done. “And I think I’m right... because otherwise, you would have said so just now. If for no other reason than you just love to tell me that I’m wrong.” 

He might have been trying to get her to smile. It wasn’t going to work. When she didn’t reply, he pressed on. “Am I wrong? Am I, Ellie?” 

She wanted to deny it. Wanted to tell him he was being ridiculous. That he was completely and utterly barking up the wrong tree. 

What came out was, “No.” 

This time, she could hear his surprise from the sudden catch of his breath. “No?” And damn it, she could hear a smile creeping in there too, maybe even a little hope. 

It was the hope that made tears smart in her eyes because that was the most dangerous emotion. 

“It doesn’t matter, Nick-”

“What do you mean it doesn’t matter? Ellie-”

“We work together, Nick.” Before he could point out that that hadn’t been a problem with Jake, she continued, “And we’re friends. You’re probably my best friend.” 

Any other time, she knew he’d be preening after that confession, would never let her hear the end of it. Tonight, he just sounded confused. “And that’s a bad thing because?”

“Because it would matter, ok? With you, it would matter.” 

This time, he sounded amused. “And that’s a bad thing because?” 

Ellie pinched the bridge of her nose, searching for the words to make him understand. Maybe if she could explain it to him, it would make sense to her too. “Because I’m not ready for that. Not yet.” 

There must have been something in her tone that gave Nick pause because when he spoke again, he was quieter, more curious. “And you’re not a dive in and test the waters kind of girl?” 

This time, the words came easily. “Not when I know they’re deep.” 

There was another pause. Any other time, Ellie would have taken pride in the fact that she’d rendered Nick speechless. Tonight, she wiped at her cheek and wished she’d never picked up the phone. “So, this thing with Boyd...” The distaste was palpable as Nick said the name. “It’s just you... getting your feet wet?” 

His tone was now a perfect mix between curiosity and amusement. Suddenly, Ellie felt her own lips twitch. “I think we’ve exhausted that metaphor.” 

“I think I disagree entirely with the way you’re approaching this, Ellie.” That tone she knew. That was his every day tone with her and she felt her shoulders begin to relax. “In fact, I’d go so far as to say that it’s making me think you’re the dumbest smart person I know.” He sighed. “But if that is your choice... I will respect that.”

Ellie blinked. She’d been anticipating an argument, at the very least a long discussion. Nick Torres did not usually give up easily. “Just like that.” 

“Just like that.” Nick chuckled. “I’m... ah... I’m not interested in rocking any boats here, Ellie.” She grinned at his new way of extending the metaphor. “You’re my best friend too, you know.” 

And just like that, she was ready to cry again. 

Maybe he knew that. “I’m going to hang up now,” he told her. “Catch some shut eye. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Drink some water.” The words came out without her thinking about them and she knew he was smiling when he answered. 

“Yes, Boss,” he said. Then, lower, just like he’d said when she’d left the office, “Goodnight, Ellie.”

“Goodnight, Nick,” she said quietly, hanging up the phone. 

It was a long time before she moved off the couch, even longer before she fell asleep.


End file.
